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Racin' With Jason: Trevor Bayne's multiple sclerosis diagnosis is not yet cause for alarm in NASCAR

220 trevor bayne victory lane 2.jpg

Trevor Bayne was the center of attention after winning the 2011 Daytona 500. He is now back in the spotlight after recently going public about being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
(ew Stockman/Getty Images for NASCAR)

If he did, he wouldn’t come off as ignorant to the facts behind Trevor Bayne’s announcement Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis – a potentially crippling neurological disorder.

The 22-year-old NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series driver, who won the 2011 Daytona 500 a day after turning 20, joined Minnesota Wild goaltender Josh Harding as professional athletes who have gone public about having MS.

“It may be that Bayne has been seen by a team of neurologists who have cleared him as fit for service,” wrote Sepkowitz, an infectious disease specialist. “I hope he is.”

Fear not, Doc. Bayne told the media on Tuesday that he is currently symptom-free and takes no medication.

“As a race car driver, you want to have all the data you can, all the information, and know how to best take care of yourself,” Bayne said. “Pretty much what they recommended is for me to do what a normal, healthy person should do, which is to work out hard, to eat the right things.”

As for specifics regarding his condition, Bayne did not divulge. Since his personal doctors and those representing NASCAR all gave him the OK, Bayne doesn’t need to share the rest of the details.

If Harding can stop 100-mph slapshots, or reality star Jack Osbourne can go on “Dancing With The Stars,” nothing should stop Bayne from driving a race car unless his health takes a downturn.

If anything, Bayne’s story can be used as inspiration. He is a very spiritual individual, and that faith should serve him well if and when his condition worsens.

“We go through a lot of tough things as race car drivers and as people,” Bayne said. “And, I want people to see that part of my life. The struggles I go through, and how we handle not only with our own strength, but what God empowers us to do through Him.”

While Sepkowitz applauded Bayne for being forthcoming, he also made quite the leap in comparing the potential fallout of a NASCAR driver with MS to the HIV-positive diagnoses of Magic Johnson and Greg Louganis – more than 20 years ago.

“The risk to others on the racetrack, surely, is decidedly greater than that presented by the HIV infection of Johnson or Louganis,” Sepkowitz wrote. “One mistake could injure not just the racer but his competitors, as well.”

This is true. However, I am sure Bayne would be honest with NASCAR, his doctors and his family if he felt his skills were diminishing.

As a rookie in that 2011 Daytona 500, he earned the trust of his fellow competitors by being a dependable partner in the close quarters of a 200-mph draft. I’m sure they will trust him to make the right decision about his health and career.

Until then, Bayne’s focus is on chasing the 2014 Nationwide Series championship in Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 6 car.

“Obviously, I feel great. I’ve had no symptoms and everything’s going really well,” Bayne said. “But, the biggest thing we want to figure out is how to keep winning races and championships and keep this thing going.”

Trevor Bayne is one of those people you can root for. A reporter lost his freelance gig with Sports Illustrated for doing so in the press box when Bayne won the Daytona 500.

MS is not a death sentence. My aunt has had it for more than 20 years.